An important use for polymeric fibers has been in the field of non-woven fabrics. Also yarn for woven fabric, carpet etc. Non-woven fabrics are well known in the art, as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,566 to Braun which describes a multilayer nonwoven fabric and in which are listed more than 90 cited references.
One of the more significant commercial applications of nonwoven fabrics is in the fabrication of disposable products intended for a single use. Typical of such products are disposable diapers, feminine care products, surgical gowns, industrial wipes, and the like. Because the nonwoven fabric is intended as a cloth substitute in these applications, extensive effort has been expended to improve the properties of nonwoven fabric to more nearly approximate that of cloth. Of particular interest has been the barrier properties and the softness of the nonwoven web, that is improving the feel or "hand" of the fabric together with lowering the resistance of the fabric to folding or bending.